Thanks to all those who worked so hard on my behalf -- who invested themselves physically, financially, and emotionally -- in my unsuccessful primary campaign.

Let me be clear. I have no regrets. No thought has or will enter my mind that if I'd only been quieter or less confrontational about the free market principles that I believe should apply throughout our economy, maybe the big bad utility monopolies wouldn't have come gunning for me.

In fact, in spending over $1 million in a single primary election to defeat me, they've provided a clear and very public demonstration of one of the evils of monopoly power, comparable to compulsory union dues:

The ability to take money from individuals who are forced by law to accept their product or service at an inflated price, then spend that money to advance political objectives with which the millions of individuals forced to pay may disagree -- in this case, maintenance of their government-privileged monopoly scheme of guaranteed market shares and guaranteed annual profits.

Two things come to mind politically:

1. The state of Nevada will have on the ballot this November a state constitutional amendment eliminating that state's government-privileged utility monopoly, guaranteeing citizens the freedom to choose instead where they buy their electricity. (Nevada requires such amendments to appear on two successive statewide ballots; Electricity Choice won 72 percent of the popular vote the first time around in 2016.)

Notably, one of the major proponents of that Nevada ballot measure is the high tech Internet company Switch, which just opened a major new facility in Grand Rapids.

Over the past 40 years, I've played leadership roles in successful statewide ballot campaigns on Right to Work, term limits, and defining marriage as only between one man and one woman.

Now that monopoly utility bosses have succeeded in relieving me of further legislative duties as of January 1st, I stand ready -- and just a touch committed -- to apply my communication and strategic skills to a statewide ballot measure in Michigan for the same purpose, bypassing the legislative process comprised of individuals who, in the wake of my defeat, will now be even more intimidated than they already were from acting to give electricity customers the reforms necessary to bring down the price of electricity and make Michigan more competitive for new industry and jobs.

(Salute to an exception, Rep. Tom Barrett, another fearless champion of Electricity Choice who withstood the second largest amount of cash expended by utility monopolists during this primary and crushed his opposition. Presumably, utility bosses will now spend a million or more of the money they force from electricity customers' pockets trying to defeat Tom in the general election. We must all rally to his defense. Volunteer or make a contribution today at http://tomformichigan.com )

2. Michigan law currently prohibits state-licensed casinos from making campaign contributions to candidates for governor, attorney general, or the state House and Senate. Why?

According to an attorney general's opinion by former Attorney General Frank Kelley, because a "public perception that improper influence has infiltrated the (regulatory and judicial) processes, however slightly, would undermine the trust that is essential to continued confidence in the industry and, what is more important, in state government.”

With utility bosses free to spend millions of ratepayer dollars on "dark money" front groups or direct campaign contributions to elect or defeat the very legislators who'll decide whether the utilities get to keep their 90 percent guarantee of market share and 10 percent guaranteed annual profit -- compounded by a Public Service Commission whose three members currently include a former Consumers Energy executive -- I assert from my interaction with citizens as chairman of the House Energy Policy Committee that there is more than a "slightly" held public perception that improper influence by utility lobbyists has infiltrated our regulatory process, thus undermining the trust essential to confidence in the industry and in state government itself on this issue.

If Michigan prohibits involvement in electing or defeating legislators by government-licensed casinos, should the state continue to allow government-granted and privileged utility monopolies to do the same? That's a question that will be debated in Lansing in coming months, I suspect.

All that said, a few comments about my just completed primary campaign in particular:

Congratulations to former Rep. Kevin Daley, who won the campaign lottery when he drew me as an opponent, benefiting from a $1 million independent expenditure campaign that promoted his candidacy and attacked me.

All's fair in love and war, and to his credit, Kevin's personal campaign messaging did not pile on by echoing the messaging of the Consumers Energy cartel.

Kevin may have benefited from utility bosses' successful character assassination, but he was not the cause of it. He just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

I called Kevin directly Tuesday evening to congratulate him and offer my help in his fall campaign to hold the seat for Republicans.

There's been some Facebook chatter about writing in my name or in same other way attempting to hinder Kevin's election in November. Let me be clear. I'll have none of that and will publicly disavow any hint of it of which I become aware.

As the Republican nominee, Kevin will have my full support. He is unquestionably pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-Right to Work, and I trust him far more on protecting our 2nd Amendment rights than the Democratic nominee, Cynthia Luczak, who received an "F" grade from the NRA.

Ms. Luczak, by the way, on a liberal podcast interview in Lapeer County, expressed enthusiasm for legalizing recreational marijuana and stated her support -- in her role as Bay County clerk -- for issuing marriage licenses that contradict our state Marriage Protection Amendment defining marriage as only between one man and one woman.

Ours is considered a swing district, so there's no margin for playing games. It's our duty as conservatives to support the more conservative candidate. Anyone who supported me in the primary, I strongly urge to join me in voting for Kevin Daley this November.

But more than that, truly committed conservatives have a mature adult duty and responsibility to set aside our personal feelings and disappointments and not just vote for Kevin, but actively work to help ensure his election over the nominee of an increasingly Socialist party that's intent on destroying the founding values and principles of our country and further implementing Barack Obama's promise of "fundamentally transforming the United States of America."

Do not allow anything -- I repeat, anything, and especially not any feelings you have for me -- to tempt you to give aid or assistance in any way to giving that party even one additional seat of influence and power in any jurisdiction in which you have a vote.

In the race for District 31 state senator on our November ballot, conservatives have a clear duty, one I will fulfill without hesitation:

A serious question arises after candidates filed their official campaign finance reports with the Secretary of State Friday:

Whoever it is, do you think it's important that when your next state senator says something, you can rely on it to be true? Watch this video. Then read below. (Please note the dates)

"I'm going to at least address the fact of the accusations going out there that I've been bought and paid for by the utility companies. Untrue. Totally untrue. I've never met with them. I've never taken anything from them."

Springfield, VA – The National Right to Work PAC announced Friday its endorsement of state Rep. Gary Glenn in his Republican primary for Michigan's 31st state Senate district.

“Rep. Glenn is a life-long champion of the freedom principle that individuals should be free to join a labor union if they choose but should not be forced to join or financially support a union under threat of being fired,” said Greg Mourad, Treasurer of the National Right to Work Committee PAC. “Gary was a leader in the passage of Michigan's Right to Work law even before he was elected to the state House of Representatives.”

“Gary is looked to as a leader by Right to Work supporters nationwide,” Mourad continued. “That's why we were proud to present Gary the 'Senator Everett B. Dirksen Award' in 2015, the National Right to Work Committee's highest honor and why we're proud to endorse him for the Michigan state Senate. We urge all Right to Work supporters in Bay, Lapeer, and Tuscola counties to vote for Rep. Gary Glenn in the Republican primary on Aug. 7th.”

Glenn served as executive director of the Idaho Freedom to Work Committee from 1980 to 1986, where he led the successful effort to win legislative approval of a state Right to Work law, overriding a Democratic governor's veto in 1985, and defend the new law as a referendum on the 1986 general election ballot despite being outspent 3-to-1 by organized labor.

For his leadership in that effort, Glenn was named co-recipient -- with former Oscar-winning actor and Screen Actors Guild (AFL-CIO) president Charlton Heston, who appeared in a TV ad supporting the law -- of the 1987 "Freedom Fighter of the Year Award" by the Center for the Study of Market Alternatives. CSMA's director was Larry Reed, who later returned to Michigan to become the first president of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, and who recruited Glenn to follow him to Michigan in 1998 to work with the Center on education reform issues.

Glenn in 2011 was also a founding board member of the Michigan Freedom to Work coalition, which launched the successful grassroots drive that resulted in enactment of a Right to Work law in Michigan in 2012.

Ann Arbor, Mich. -- Rep. Gary Glenn, R-Williams Twp., said doctors at the University of Michigan advised him Wednesday that his prostate cancer is once again in a "controlled state," or in layman's terms, remission.

"I continue to give praise to the healing power of Jesus' name, and thanks to the physicians at Mid-Michigan Medical Center and University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center who serve as effective instruments in His hand," Glenn said. "As other cancer survivors know, this on-again, off-again experience is something that will be monitored for the rest of my life, and once again, I ask even those I may never meet to pray for me and my family."

Glenn was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer in January 2016, which after radiation and hormone treatments went into remission five weeks later and remained in remission for over two years.

Bone scans in April of this year, however, discovered small new tumors on his vertebrae and hip, and by June, he was experiencing severe pain in his lower back.

Glenn over the last three months has undergone three immunotherapy treatments, ten radiation treatments, and begun taking a new hormone therapy drug.

The results have been dramatic. The lower back pain is completely gone, and his PSA score -- a blood test that measures the level of cancerous activity for prostate cancer victims, and which peaked at 170 five weeks ago -- was measured Wednesday at UM at only 15.

Doctors at UM advised Glenn to resume normal physical activity and exercise. Glenn said he has recovered from the extreme fatigue caused by the radiation treatments that had limited his campaign activities in recent weeks. He is a candidate in a hotly contested Aug. 7th primary campaign for the open state Senate seat representing Bay, Lapeer, and Tuscola counties.

Throughout his treatments over the last two and a half years, Glenn has maintained a perfect attendance record n Lansing, never missing a legislative committee meeting or vote on the House floor, even when undergoing five months of chemotherapy in 2016. The two-term lawmaker serves as Associate Speaker of the House Pro Tem and chairman of the House Energy Policy Committee.

Auburn, Mich. -- Rep. Gary Glenn, R-Williams Twp., received two major endorsements this week in his bid for the Republican nomination for the state Senate seat representing Bay, Lapeer, and Tuscola counties.

The second term lawmaker who serves as Associate Speaker of the House Pro Tem and chairman of the House Energy Policy Committee, Monday was endorsed by Michigan Trump Republicans, organized by conservatives, TEA Party leaders, and veterans of President Trump's successful 2016 campaign in Michigan.

"Our endorsement of Gary Glenn recognizes his fearless legislative leadership while he's served in the Michigan House. Gary Glenn is the best candidate to represent voters in 31st Senate District," said Meshawn Maddock, co-founder of MTR. "Trump voters need to get to the polls in the Michigan primary on Aug. 7th. Electing Gary Glenn will mean that a great conservative voice will stay strong in Lansing."

“I'm grateful to Michigan Trump Republicans for their endorsement of my candidacy for state Senate,” Glenn said. “Ever since election night 2016, I've thanked God that Donald Trump --- and not Hillary Clinton --- is President of the United States. My campaign slogan since 2014 has been to 'make Michigan great again,' and with Michigan Trump Republicans' support, I hope to have the opportunity to continue my commitment to that cause in the state Senate.”

Tuesday, the National Rifle Association announced that Glenn is the only District 31 candidate for state Senate of either party to receive its endorsement.

"The NRA Political Victory Fund is non-partisan in issuing its candidate grades and endorsements," according to its website. "Our decisions are not based on a candidate's party affiliation, but rather on his or her record on Second Amendment issues."

Glenn received an A+ grade from the gun rights group, which says that grade goes to "a legislator with not only an excellent voting record on all critical NRA issues, but who has also made a vigorous effort to promote and defend the Second Amendment."

"Former NRA President Charlton Heston used to say that the Second Amendment is the first freedom, since it's the final protection against a suppressive government, foreign or domestic, taking away all our other Constitutionally-guaranteed rights and freedoms," Glenn said. "I'm passionately committed to continuing his legacy and ensuring we protect our God-given right to defend ourselves, our families, and our property."

Glenn noted that his Republican primary opponent, former state Rep. Kevin Daley, R-Lum, voted against state Sen. Mike Green's bill, now law, requiring that county clerks "shall issue" a Concealed Pistol License to any law-abiding citizen who completes the required training and passes a state police background check. Green has also endorsed Glenn's candidacy.

The anticipated Democratic nominee, Bay County Clerk Cindy Luczak, received an F grade from NRA, which Glenn, a Bay County resident, says will put even that traditionally Democratic-voting but socially conservative county in play this November. He noted that President Trump carried Bay County in the 2016 general election.

Glenn's campaign has also been endorsed by other organizations: Right to Life of Michigan, Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan, Campaign for Michigan Families, Citizens for Traditional Values, County Road Association of Michigan, Great Lakes Gun Rights PAC, Home Builders Association of Michigan, and the Michigan Freedom Fund.

In addition to those organizations, Glenn is endorsed by former Gov. Mike Huckabee, Sen. Mike Green, R-Mayville, Sen. Phil Pavlov, R-St. Clair, former Sen. Joel Gougeon, R-Bay City, former state Rep. John Stahl, R-North Branch, Michigan's Republican National Committeewoman Kathleen Berden, and dozens of other community leaders, elected officials and area residents